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Salt Salt draws out of food the essential flavor that would otherwise remain neutral or latent. Salting properly is what distinguishes a mediocre cook from a very good one. I love to stand around an almost finished dish with my students, adding salt in increments until the magical moment when the flavor bursts forward. After years of cooking, I still find that an exciting moment. Properly seasoned food leaves a rounded flavor on the tongue. Often, before a dish is salted properly, the flavor of the food can be dull, or might register only on the back receptors of the tongue. In addition, pleasantly spicy foods feel like they are overly spicy. Once the proper amount of salt is added, however – and that might mean the difference of only a pinch – the constituent flavors are drawn together harmoniously, and the food comes alive. In my recipes, I always indicate an amount of salt that is close to the amount that I think a given dish needs. The recipe usually needs one or two pinches more to draw out the flavors; it is impossible to include that tiny amount in the recipe, and it may vary, depending on the ingredients. I call this extra amount a “grandma pinch,” which means a good fat pinch, not a speck. If you tend to be heavy-handed, however, make your pinch a baby pinch. Many people today are afraid of seasoning their food properly because of the misconception that salt is bad for you. The fact is that the body needs sodium to function. It helps carry nutrients into the cells, and is the main component of the body’s extra-cellular fluids. But let’s be clear about one thing: Unrefined salt is not the same as refined salt. Salt in its natural form, not altered during manufacturing, is unrefined salt. It is a naturally occurring complex of sodium chloride (which includes minerals such as calcium and magnesium) as well as a complete complement of essential trace minerals. Refined salt has all of its minerals removed, rendering it an essentially lifeless product. That’s why even though it has large crystals, I’m not a fan of kosher salt. I favor the salt that has been harvested off the coast of Brittany (Celtic salt), dried in salt pools by wind and air. I like the finely ground variety, which I use in everything, including baking.  Celtic Sea Salt The coarse ground variety is a wonderful finishing salt when you want a large crystal. The pristine white layer that forms on the top of the salt beds is know as fleur de sel, my first choice for sprinkling on a chocolate tart. Another high quality mineral-rich salt is Himalayan pink salt.  Himalayan Sea Salt Both Celtic and Himalayan salt are both readily available in stores and on line. Both will nourish the body as well as make your food taste delicious. So use unrefined salt, season your food until the flavor is at its peak, and stay off processed food.
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Nuts and Seeds It is undeniable that when nuts and seeds are soaked – and dehydrated if you want them crunchy – they are more readily digestible, and the nutrients within are easier to absorb. Besides, they taste simply delicious. Nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors, which are there as protection until they have what they need to grow, such as sunlight, water, or soil. The soaking water will have the enzyme inhibitors in it, so after you drain the nuts or seeds, make sure to give them a rinse. You can use the plumped nuts as is (perfect for smoothies and nut milks), since soaking makes them softer.  Plumped, Soaked Cashews You can store the soaked nuts for a few days in the refrigerator to use as needed. Alternatively, dehydrate them in a low oven (or dehydrator) to make crispy nuts. Either way, you can really feel the difference in your body between those nuts that have been properly treated and those that have not. For best results, start with organic and raw. The worst nuts to purchase are packaged varieties that have already been roasted and salted. Poor quality fat and salt are added and the roasting has damaged the fat inherent in the nuts and seeds. Here are appropriate soaking times for each variety: 0 to 2 hours: Brazil, macadamia, and pine nuts 2 to 4 hours: Cashews, pecans, and walnuts (pecans and walnuts can go up to 6 hours) 4 to 6 hours: Sunflower seeds 6 to 8 hours: Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hazelnuts 8 to 12 hours: Almonds If the idea of soaking and dehydrated nuts is going to send you over the edge, consider purchasing from Wilderness family naturals. Wildernessfamilynaturals.com  Mixed bag from Wilderness Family Naturals These folk already do all the soaking and dehydrating work for you. I first tasted their exceptional products at the Wise Traditions conference a couple of years ago. The folks from Wilderness Family Naturals had a large booth, and I was able to sample before buying. I was hooked, and returned home from the conference with quite a few bags. I’ve been ordering ever since; the box arrives on my doorstep fast, within just a few days. If you just want to get your feet wet before committing to a big order, try the mixed nuts. I guarantee you’ll be pleased. It’s good to know that there’s high quality choices available. Share on Facebook and Twitter | ingredients, Kitchen Tips, nuts and seeds, Where To Buy (Sources) | No comments
The Healing Properties of Coconut Oil  Oil is From the Meat of Mature Coconuts The fact that coconut oil is a highly saturated fat is a good thing. Your body needs saturated fats to most effectively use essential fatty acids (also know as EFA’s, the ones that your body needs to get from foods). Saturation is what keeps coconut oil from destabilizing or going rancid during cooking. All fatty acids are made of lengths of carbon chains. Saturation means that the chain of carbon atoms is fully “saturated” with hydrogen atoms. They have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. There are many kinds of naturally occurring saturated fatty acids, which differ mainly in the number of carbon atoms, ranging from 3 (extremely short chain), to 36 (extremely long chain). While all fats are made up of a combination of fatty acids, coconut oil is singular in that it is composed predominately of medium chain fatty acids (mcfas). The main mcfa in coconut oil is lauric acid, made up of 12 carbons (it makes up a whopping 47 per cent of the fat content in coconut oil.) In your body, these high amounts of lauric acid are converted to monolaurin, and this is what makes coconut oil different from other oils and gives it its healing qualities. It is made only by the mammary gland and not in the liver like other saturated fats. It is found in large quantities only in mother’s milk, coconut oil, and palm kernel oil. Lauric acid has long been used in baby formulas. While longer-chain fatty acids, found in many foods, need to be digested by bile salts (which are secreted by the gallbladder), coconut’s medium-chain fatty acids do not. That’s why if you have trouble digesting fats, or are beginning to reintroduce fat to your diet, it’s best to begin with coconut oil. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil boost your metabolism. The body can use coconut oil for energy more rapidly and efficiently than any other fat source. Medium chain fatty acids are not normally stored in your body as fat. They are quickly converted to energy, making coconut oil ideal for weight loss. Many people find that they lose weight just by adding a couple of tablespoons a day of coconut oil to their diets. It’s a great oil to help prevent obesity. A number of years ago I happened upon an article in a “Women’s World” in a mainstream grocery store, which had an article titled “The Secret of Losing Belly Fat.” I was shocked to see that even this cheesy periodical contained some good information. They were on to the fact that coconut oil is utilized by the body to produce energy, in preference to being stored in the body fat like other dietary fats. The bad reputation that coconut oil undeservedly had for so many years (due to one study with hydrogenated coconut oil) is slowly crumbling. The mainstream is still slow to change, however. There are too many people using copycat information and too much money invested in cheap oil production. Coconut oil is especially important to add to your diet if you are restricting calories. It will keep your metabolism humming efficiently instead of slowing down, which is what usually happens when calories are restricted. This oil is one of my personal “weapons” for keeping my weight to my desired level. Even though I normally cook with coconut oil, during those instances when I’ve packed on a few extra pounds, (like after a vacation), I bump up the amounts. I simply work a tablespoon coconut oil into each meal. It gets me back to my desired weight quickly and deliciously. Nowadays, coconut oil is even packaged into capsules as a weight-loss aide. Why take it in capsule form when it’s so easy to include in the diet? Coconut oil boosts energy and endurance and stabilizes blood sugar. In the 1940’s farmers attempted to use cheap coconut oil to fatten up their cows. It didn’t work: their cows instead became perky and lean. The famers then turned to soy and corn for more effective fatteners. Medium chain fatty acids found in lauric acid:
It is interesting to note that these oils have long prevented indigenous populations from bacterial and viruses found in the food supply. When populations switch from their traditional oils like coconut oil modern polyunsaturated oils, they have a hugely increased rate of modern illnesses. (I’ve witnessed this phenomena with friends and students from India and the Philippines.) The oil is good applied topically as well. It helps soften skin and relieve dryness and flaking. I used to have a recurring chest rash every year when the weather in New York got hot. Since using coconut oil regularly on my skin, I have not had a rash in almost 12 years! One of my students who had eczema reported that after only three weeks of applying the oil to his dry flaky skin, his condition was improved 70 percent. I lost track of him, so I was not able to discover whether his eczema completely cleared. More healing qualities of coconut oil:
Coconut oil is a traditional fat that has been used for many years in a multitude of cultures. Coconuts grow in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Pacific Islands, in equatorial Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. The trees produce between 50 and 100 nuts per year. They start yielding fruit at age six, and they continue to give off fruit for the next 55 or so years. Coconuts are ecologically sound, as they are able to grow in difficult environments, such as atolls, or under conditions of high salinity, drought, or poor soil. They play an important role in maintaining the fragile ecosystems of island and coastal communities. Moreover, most of the world’s coconut production comes from small farms. For more information on coconut, read Eat Fat, Look Thin, by Bruce Fife and Eat Fat, Loose Fat by Mary Enig and Sally Fallon.
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Working with Coconut OIl Young coconuts are large, green, and water-heavy. (Of course, by the time we see them in this country, the outer green shell has been shaved.) As a coconut matures, it becomes wizened, brown and hairy. The gel-like meat within becomes thicker and meatier. Coconut water is the sweet liquid inside the immature coconuts.  Young Coconuts on the Tree Coconut milk is made from the pressed juice of grated coconut meat and water; coconut oil is the fatty oil that comes from the coconut meat.  Oil Comes from the Mature Coconut The oil, which used to have a bad reputation in this country, is now finally getting the attention it deserves for not only being a nutritional powerhouse, but for its versatility in the kitchen. I have used coconut oil consistently for 12 years with great results. Coconut oil comes in two varieties: virgin, which has the flavor of a coconut, and a filtered variety which is neutral-tasting.  Virgin and Filtered Coconut OIl While I love the virgin coconut oil – and I use it frequently – there are many instances when I don’t want what I’m making to taste like a Thai dish. When I want the perfect oil to cook potato pancakes, for instance, I reach for the filtered no-taste variety. This product still has all of the nutritional benefits of coconut oil without the predominant coconut flavor. The flavor is removed in a vacuum process. Coconut and the oil come from tropical countries where they are exposed to high tropical temperatures. The oil can take the heat necessary to distill it and remove the coconut flavor without affecting the quality. There’s no trans fat by products either, so you don’t have to worry that you’re compromising your health. I love the oil from www.omeganutrition.com. I was first introduced to their products 12 years ago; they have the best filtered coconut oil that I’ve ever tasted, That’s the oil that hooked me from the start. Their other products are of the highest quality as well so you won’t go wrong with whatever you order. They ship fast so you’ll get your products within just a few days. You can order the oil in all different sizes, from a 1 pound canister to a 7-pound pail (my favorite). You don’t have to worry that the coconut oil will go bad, because even after you open the jug, it lasts two years at room temperature!  1-pound, 2-pound, and 7-pound Containers At room temperature, coconut oil is semi-solid. It melts at 76 degrees, so if your pantry is warm, you may notice how the consistency changes. This is not a problem. It can melt and solidify back and forth without damaging the oil in the least. If you’re baking with coconut oil, and converting from butter to coconut oil, use 7 tablespoons coconut oil instead of 1 stick butter. Butter contains 20 per cent water, so you need to lessen the oil a bit. The easiest way to measure 7 tablespoons is to scoop ½ cup into a dry measure and then remove 1 tablespoon.  7 Tablespoons Coconut Oil Measure coconut oil in the form that you need it in. For example, say you’re making a cookie and you are going to cream the oil with sugar. You will need the oil in its semi-solid state, so measure it that way, right out of the container. If you need it in liquid form, melt some coconut oil (it only takes a minute or two to melt) in a pan over a low flame and then measure it. If you want to work coconut oil into a pastry crust and you need it super firm, place a glob in the refrigerator to harden it.  Refrigerator-hardened Coconut Oil I chop the hardened coconut oil first on a cutting board, then place the pieces in measuring cups.
 Measured Oil for a Pastry Crust I pulse the oil into the dry ingredients in a food processor. There’s an easy and delicious coconut oil pastry crust recipe on p. 51 in my book The Healthy Hedonist Holidays. When you need a tablespoon or two to sauté something, it really doesn’t matter what form it’s in. Just scoop some oil out of the container and it will melt in the skillet quite readily. It’s only necessary to be exact with the measurements when you are baking. It’s best to have the other ingredients at room temperature before mixing with the coconut oil. Otherwise the oil will start to seize and you’ll have little clumps of hardened oil in your mix.  Bits of Coconut Oil Because of Cold Ingredients A quick whirl in the blender will take care of any hardened bits. If your marinade looks like the following picture, just place the pan in the oven. A few seconds in the oven will melt the coconut oil just fine.  The Ingredients Were Cold You can also place your ingredients over a double boiler and gently heat the mix. It doesn’t take long for everything to get up to 76˚F., the melting point of coconut oil. Coconut oil has a high smoke point, up to 375˚F., so this is the ideal oil for frying. This is a when I use the filtered variety. Food cooked with coconut oil does not taste greasy. Hands down this is THE best oil for making potato pancakes, cutlets, croquettes, falafel, or anything that needs a good amount of oil.  Crispy Miniature Potato Pancakes These are crispy, not greasy.  Crispy Rice Noodles Fried in Coconut Oil I don’t like to waste the oil, however, so I just put enough oil to go halfway up the side of whatever I am cooking. That’s enough to cook the first half, and I then just flip what I am cooking to finish the other side. The virgin oil is the best choice when you want a hint of tropical flavor. It makes buttery-tasting popcorn, stellar roasted vegetables, and creamy root vegetable purées. One of my vegetable combinations at the moment is puréed parsnips mixed with rutabagas or kohlrabi, enriched with virgin coconut oil and butter. Talk about a creamy, satisfying texture! The virgin oil makes a tasty spread on crackers, bread, muffins, and mocha as well. The flavorful virgin oil is also the better choice if you want to utilize the oil as a supplement to stabilize your blood sugar and keep your metabolism humming at high speed. Topically, you can use it as a moisturizer on your face and all over the body. Try slathering your entire body with the oil BEFORE taking a shower. You’ll come out of the shower already clean and soft – not greasy – without having to use soap or moisturizer. You can also work coconut oil into a blend. Inspired by Mary Enig’s blend of oils, I mix 1/3 extra virgin olive oil (or macadamia nut oil for a really subtle flavor), 1/3 part unrefined sesame oil (NOT the toasted variety), and 1/3 part coconut oil. (I use the filtered here for the most neutral flavor.) The resulting oil is mild-tasting and has a combination of healthful properties from all three oils. You can keep this at room temperature and use it for sautéing and dressings. AND – this is my favorite part – it is a great oil for homemade mayonnaise. Deviled eggs, anyone? We’ll save that for another day. .
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Lamb Bone Broth I purchased 5 pounds of lamb bones the other day at the booth of 3 Corner Field Farm (one of my favorite stalls) at Union square Greenmarket. The large and impressive bag of bones prompted another customer to inquire why I was buying them. What followed was a discussion on how to make lamb broth. I’m detailing the process here since lamb broth is not a stock that many make. After all, you can certainly use chicken stock with great success for any lamb dish that requires a flavorful liquid. A lamb broth, on the other hand, will make your lamb stew or braise incredibly rich and deep-flavored. You can make a stew so satisfying that it tastes as nurturing as a giant hug. (Those are the words a friend of mine used to describe a lamb stew I had recently made for her with lamb broth.) Plus, this dish is seriously easy to put together. It requires about five minutes of active participation to get the stock going, and just a few minutes work straining it when finished. First roast the bones: Arrange them on a parchment-covered baking tray (see the last post if you need a good resource for getting the flat professional type of parchment) and place the trays (you’ll need 2 trays for five pounds bones) in a 375˚ oven for about 45 minutes (actually any temperature from 350˚F to 400˚F is fine) to roast until they are browned. The aroma as the lamb roasts is intoxicating.  Lamb Bones Before Roasting  After Roasting for 45 Minutes Transfer the bones to a large stockpot (12 quart is perfect) and fill with water to just about the top of the bones. I used about 6 quarts water.  Beginning the Stock Add ¼ cup vinegar (I used apple cider) to draw calcium from the bones into the stock. Bring the liquid slowly to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. A few bubbles breaking the surface now and again is what you want to see. From time to time, skim off the impurities (skum) that form on the surface of the stock when it first starts to bubble.  Skim the Impurities Don’t skip this step; it’s important to a great-tasting stock. Besides, the scum is unappealing! Now just let it go. I left my stock to cook overnight. I put it on the lowest heat so that I wouldn’t have to concern myself that it would reduce too quickly. I had started the stock at 3 p.m. in the afternoon Wednesday, and I strained it at 7 a.m. on Thursday morning – a total of 17 hours in the pot.  Ready to Strain Let a lamb or beef stock cook for at least 12 hours; they can go much longer, even days! After 17 hours, the stock had reduced by about one third. I let it sit on the countertop until it was cool enough to refrigerate.  Cooling a Bit After it was refrigerated and thoroughly chilled – about three hours later – I removed the fat layer on top with a skimmer.  Skim the Fat I’ll freeze half and use the rest within the week. The yield was 4 quarts of nourishing bone broth that will be delicious for any lamb dish.  Completed Broth Share on Facebook and Twitter | Lamb, Recipes, Soups, Where To Buy (Sources) | No comments
Parchment Paper I consider parchment one of the most indispensible supplies in the kitchen. I line my half sheet (18×13-inch) aluminum baking sheets every time I use them. These industry standard-sized trays are what I became used to working in professional kitchens. I don’t bake directly on the aluminum trays, since I don’t want to run the risk of aluminum leaching out into my food; I do like the way aluminum distributes heat. The combination of aluminum trays with a protective layer of parchment paper works exceptionally well.  Half Sheet Pan
 Half Sheet Tray Lined with Parchment Paper Unfortunately, the type of parchment that you buy in the grocery store comes on rolls. The sheets torn from the roll never fit quite right or lie flat on a baking sheet. After getting used to snug, flat professional parchment paper, I find the rolls unwieldy and frustrating. I set out to find a good source of professional parchment paper, which turned out to be a lot more economical as well.
I discovered only recently that there are two types of finishes on parchment paper that make it non stick: silicon and quilon. Some say they prefer silicon for its ability to withstand higher temperatures and longer cooking times than paper coated with quilon. They also maintain that silicon is a safer coating than quilon. Quilon-coated is the industry standard, since it’s substantially less pricey than the silicon-coated. It’s the type used in every establishment that I’ve ever worked in and it’s the only one most professional cooks even know about. I’ve found it to be more than sufficient for all my culinary needs, from roasting vegetables to rolling pastry crusts. I’ve even cooked pizza on parchment at a temperature of 500˚F. Though the paper turns dark at such high heat, it still does the job perfectly well. You can purchase the sheets in 100 half sheets or 1,000 full sheets (16 x 24). Full sheets fit a large standard-sized baking sheet, which is twice the size of the half sheet pans. (You get a whopping 2,000 sheets when you halve them.) Or course, you save a lot of money buying the 1000 sheets. On the down side, you have to have room to store the box, or enough people to share it with. I purchased both silicon-coated and quilon-coated to compare. I now have enough parchment to last a very long time. The parchment was delivered quickly, within three days. I found it difficult to differentiate between the two varieties of coating. Henceforth, unless I were convinced otherwise, I would probably go with the quilon-coated. Here are good sources for both varieties, in two sizes each: Quilon-coated Parchment: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/16-x-24-quilon-parchment-paper-pan-liner-1000-case/433JR24Q.html http://www.webstaurantstore.com/12-x-16-quilon-parchment-paper-pan-liner-100-pk/99930005.html Silicon-coated parchment: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/16-x-24-silicon-pan-liner-1000-cs/433JR27SIL.html http://www.amazon.com/UltraBake-Parchment-Paper-Sheets-16½/dp/B000E7A6BM
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Slow Sunday Cooking Last week I luxuriated in a solitary Sunday, a day devoted to complete hibernation. I stayed up impossibly late the night before, slept well into the day, and turned off my cell phone and computer. I spent the entire day perusing a hard copy of the New York Times, just budging off the couch from time to time to tend to the dishes that I was slow cooking. The day before, from my local lamb farmer I had purchased lamb necks , which looked to me a lot like osso bucco.  Lamb Necks from 3 Corner Field Farm This cut I had never cooked before; I knew that, like a lamb shank, a long slow cook in the oven would coax out the flavor and cook the meat to falling-off-the-bone tenderness. This dish was perfect for my Sunday state of mind. An added incentive was that I had made some lamb stock from 5 pounds lamb bones a few days before, although chicken stock would have been delicious as well. I sprinkled the necks with salt and pepper, then browned them in a film of oil. I removed the lamb to a plate and added to the skillet 3 cups sliced onions, 6 whole garlic cloves, a few sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary, and a bay leaf. I let the onions cook until softened, about 10 minutes. I added 2 ½ cups lamb broth and ½ cup red wine, and let the liquid come to a boil. I then added back the necks, covered the skillet, and put it in a 325˚F oven for 2 ½ hours. After uncovering the skillet, I raised the heat to 500˚F for half an hour to brown the meat. By this time the necks had beautiful color and were perfectly tender. I removed the pan from the oven, removed the pieces to a plate, set the skillet on a burner, and raised the heat to high. I threw in a handful sliced celery and carrots, and simmered the broth uncovered for 10 minutes, until it was the thickness of gravy; I then returned the lamb to the skillet.  Ready to Eat I served it accompanied by mashed yucca, Brussels sprouts and green beans. What a soothing and delicious meal for a lazy Sunday.  Braised lamb neck with mashed yucca, Brussels sprouts, and green beans While I was braising the lamb, I also had a big pot of chicken stock bubbling on a back burner. The next day I sautéed a large array of vegetables: onions, carrots. turnips, celery root, parsnips and sweet potatoes until softened. I skinned some chicken thighs and poached them gently in the stock until tender. I added the vegetables along with fresh ginger and dill to the soup and then seasoned it. Three quarts were packed off to a friend who, fresh from surgery, needed good nourishment.  A Healing Bowl of Chicken Soup Share on Facebook and Twitter | Dinner, ingredients, Kitchen Tips, Lamb, Main course, Recipes | No comments
Maple Sugar and Candied Nuts When I want to use a granulated sugar, I invariably reach for maple sugar as my first choice. This natural sweetener has a subtle maple taste, and works well in many recipes that call for granulated sugar. Maple sugar is simply maple syrup that has been cooked until the water in the syrup has evaporated off. The clumps that are left are ground into smaller pieces, then sifted according to size – powder, granules, or a combination of the two. Nothing is added during the processing.
Maple sugar is relatively expensive. However, when purchased from the source, shipping and all, it is considerably less expensive than purchasing it in a store. I get mine directly from Coombs family farms, a wonderful sugar plant based in Vermont. Their phone number is 888 266-6271 and their website is Coombsfamilyfarms.com. They ship quickly, and you can purchase a choice of maple granules, powdered maple sugar, or a combination or the two. I use the maple powder for all of my maple sugar recipes, since this grind is the most like granulated sugar.
This morning I made a couple batches candied nuts to give away. I love candied nuts. When you make them yourself, you can use just the right amount of high quality sweetener to enhance great nutty flavor. A sprinkling of these crunchy nuts add so much pizzazz to hot breakfast cereals, desserts, salads and soups. They stay fresh in the pantry for two to three months, making them wonderful hostess gifts and edible presents. Bundle them in festive party bags for a treat that everyone will enjoy.
Here are a couple of my favorite combinations. These recipes both take a minimum of prep time and the oven does most of the work. Watch the video on how to make candied nuts. This first recipe is for candied pecans. I toss one cup roughly chopped pecans with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons maple sugar. I spread them on a parchment-covered baking dish and place them in the oven for 20 minutes. I stir the pecans one time during the baking, so that they caramelize evenly. The pecans are ready when they are dry all the way through. This technique works well with chopped walnuts, almonds, and blanched hazelnuts as well. When I remove the pecans from the oven, I let them cool before packing them. These pecans keep covered, at room temperature, for two to three months.
 Candied Pecans The second recipe is for coconut cashews, one of my favorites. The mix is an exciting combination of sweet, spicy, and crunchy, which makes, among other uses, an excellent garnish for a zesty carrot soup. I toss together in a medium bowl one cup of roughly chopped cashews, ½ cup unsweetened coconut, 1/3 cup maple sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. I then add one egg white to bind the whole mix together. Again, I’m spreading it on a parchment-covered baking sheet and baking it for 15 to 20 minutes at 325˚. I have to stir this mix twice during the baking session to ensure that the more delicate coconut colors evenly. (By the way, I pull out my tray to stir the mix, so I don’t lower the temperature of the oven. Then I return the tray to the oven to finish baking.) When the mix is evenly browned, I remove the tray from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. I break up the clumps into small clusters that are now ready to be stored or packed. Sweet holidays!  Candied Coconut-Cashews
 Edible Gift Packages
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Chicken Soup I’ve been under the weather for the past few days with a full blown cold. This is unusual for me since I rarely get sick. When I feel the slightest bit of an impending sniffle, I have a coterie of preventative measures that I take, which usually work like a charm. I jump on my cellercizer (urban rebounder) to clean out my lymphatic system, I down Immune Response to strengthen my immune system, and I make an effort to get extra rest. This particular cold came on without much warning – it hit the throat first and then traveled to the lungs. I had a couple of energetic events to run, so there was no getting rest for a couple of days. Thus the full-blown cold landed Friday and ordered me to stop. It doesn’t make me feel better to know that colds are rampant this time of year, or that there is a particularly virulent strain going around. I am forced to finally and humbly surrender. I’m actually enjoying the enforced solitude and relaxation. Since my taste buds are depressed with the congestion, all I really feel like ingesting is hot soup. A good bone broth is just the elixir to drive away a fierce bug. So while I have been convalescing, I took out the stock pot, opened the freezer, and took out a big pile of poultry bones. I put up the simplest of stocks – bones, water, a splash of vinegar to draw out the calcium, and a bay leaf. That’s about as much effort as I could muster, and it took all of five minutes. The pot held backbones and wings from two chickens I had recently butchered, a turkey carcass, and a bag of chicken feet. I let this stock simmer about 6 hours, then I strained it, cooled it, and refrigerated it overnight.  chicken stock with feet and bones What made the stock especially gelatin rich was the bag of chicken feet I had purchased at the green market the other day. Chicken feet are hard for a lot of us to get used to, as yes, they are kind of creepy and freaky-looking bobbing around in your stock. Get over being squeamish, and you have a flavorful calcium-rich stock that’s great for your bones. Look at how gelatinous (translate: wobbly) this stock is after cooling. All I did was scrape away the top layer of fat. This is nutrient-dense goodness.
For my soup today, I simmered a quart of the stock with some sliced shallots, some chopped ginger, and chopped lemongrass for about 15 minutes. I strained the stock, then added some coconut milk, boneless chicken breast cubes, and a small handful kaffir lime leaves that I had frozen. When the chicken was cooked after five minutes, I added a handful of Swiss chard, a splash of Thai fish sauce, couple of tablespoons lime juice, and a pinch salt. In my soup bowl I sprinkled chopped jalapeños and cilantro.  Thai Chicken Soup with Swiss Chard The soup was delicious, and I’m feeling a lot better already. Share on Facebook and Twitter | Dinner, Kitchen Tips, Musings, Pantry Items, Soups | No comments
Wednesday Night Thanksgiving Even though the family was going out for the Thursday Thanksgiving meal, I still felt that yearly drive to make a whole turkey with lots of sides. It’s not important to me exactly which day I cook, as long as it’s around the holiday. The local farmer from the food club that I belong to had beautiful pasture-raised turkeys, so a friend and I decided to cook Wednesday, and have a mini celebration one day before the holiday. We split all the dishes we made – she had enough for her family the next day, and we had enough for one full meal of leftovers, which my husband and I enjoyed for lunch today. I had picked what vegetables looked good at the greenmarket, and we improvised a bunch of easy-to-make sides to go along with our beautiful turkey. Our turkey was small, about 10 pounds, perfect for about ten people. Tuesday night I chopped a couple tablespoons sage and mixed it with about a tablespoon of salt. I butterflied the turkey (I set aside the backbone along with the neck for stock), and slipped the sage-salt mixture under the skin. I sprinkled salt and pepper over the outside. I set the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan breast-side-down overnight. I took the bird out of the refrigerator an hour before baking and brushed the back with olive oil and added a couple cups water to the roasting pan. I roasted it at 350 for about an hour, then flipped the bird using wadded up aluminum foil, and cooked the bird another ½ hour. I then brushed it with cranberry glaze (made from 1 cup of cranberries cooked with ½ cup maple syrup and ¼ cup rice syrup until the cranberries burst.The mix was then strained.) I returned the turkey to the oven for 10 minutes, then added more glaze and roasted it another 15 to 20 minutes, until the temperature of the thigh was about 180˚F. I added water to the bottom a couple of times to keep the juiced from burning. The result: a beautiful deep red turkey – juicy and flavorful.
 Butterflied Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Gravy: I deglazed the pan with turkey stock (the neck and backbone I cooked in about 4 cups water for an hour while the turkey was roasting.) with about ½ cup of red wine. I made a roux of 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour cooked until light brown. I added the liquid and cooked it until thickened. The gravy was delicious – a deep red brown with hints of cranberry flavor. Cranberry sauce: I simmered 2 cups cranberries with the juice of one orange and 1/3 cup maple sugar. I added a splash brown rice vinegar and a teaspoon fresh thyme.  Cranberry Sauce, Gravy, Sweet Potato Purée, etc. I baked sweet potatoes (3 cups flesh), scooped them out and added a jar (1 ½ cups) chestnuts, ¼ cup butter, 1 tablespoon brandy, splash roasted vegetable stock to thin, salt, butter, and sprinkle of nutmeg, and puréed the whole lot. I roasted Brussels sprouts with extra virgin olive oil and salt for twenty minutes at 375˚F. I added a couple tablespoons butter with a small scoop mustard and about a cup roasted vegetable stock to a skillet. The mix was cooked until it reduced to a glaze, then the Brussels sprouts were stirred in.  Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Beets: Beets were roasted in the oven for about 2 hours, then mixed with thinly sliced Asian pears, thinly sliced radishes, 1 teaspoon ground star anise and 1 teaspoon coriander warmed with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper.  Beet, Asian Pear, and Radish Salad
Delicata squash: Half rings were roasted with extra virgin olive oil and salt at 375˚F, then drizzled with pumpkin seed oil, lime juice, cayenne, and crushed pumpkin seeds.  Roasted Delicata Squash It was loads of fun – and good therapy too – hanging with a friend and cooking the day away. You don’t have to have a huge gathering to enjoy a delicious feast!  Casual Meal  The Plated Meal Share on Facebook and Twitter | Dinner, Main course, Sauces, Side Dishes | No comments
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